47 Activities for May, by Elizabeth Swartz

47 Skill-Building Activities You Can Use Right Now!

Primary Grades

I Love You, Mom
Reading/Writing At some point before Mother's Day share together, I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas (HarperCollins, 2002). Fold pieces of paper in half and staple several sheets together for children to make books for their Moms about loving them all day long, through good and bad.
Label It!
Reading/Phonics/Vocabulary Write an assortment of blends and digraphs on sticky notes and pass them out so each child can search around the room for an item that begins or ends with these letters. Invite the children to stick their labels on the objects.
And Then What Happened?
Reading/Sequencing Read aloud any version of the story of the gingerbread boy or the little red hen. Have children draw pictures of the people, animals or events that take place in the story. Have them hold up the pictures in the correct sequence as they retell the story in their own words.
Summer Buzzin'
Poetry Read the following poem to the children.

Stripes

by Martin Shaw

The bees have stripes that cover them,
The zebra have stripes too,
My shirt has stripes that cover me,
And they are red and blue.

I play that I'm a zebra wild,
I buzz like I'm a bee,
I sometimes stalk like tigers do,
My stripes do that to me.

Have a class discussion about how much fun it is to pretend that you are someone or something else when wearing special clothes. Read together Eileen Spinelli's book, In My New Yellow Shirt (Henry Holt, 2001), then invite the children to wear outfits to school the next day that help them pretend to be something or someone else.
Summer Fun
Poetry/Phys. Ed. Read the following poem to the children. Then have different children act out lines 1-12. Finally, invite all of the children to act out the last stanza.

Summer Fun

by Jacqueline Schiff

I'm skipping in the sun,
I'm twirling in its glow.
I'm tumbling in the grass,
I'm swinging high and low.

I'm walking on the beach,
I'm buzzing like a bee.
I'm running to a base,
I'm roller skating – whee!

I'm hiking with my dad,
I'm biking with my mom.
I'm kicking in the pool,
I'm floating. I'm so calm.

I'm jogging in the sun,
I'm hopping to-and-fro.
My body's having fun,
Because I'm on the go!

Buried Treasure Count
Math/Counting Fill a clear plastic soda bottle 2/3 full with sand or rice. Drop in assorted small trinkets (beads, buttons, erasers, plastic insects, charms, jewels, etc.). Cover tightly, then secure the cover with masking tape. Let the children turn and shake the bottle and try to count how many treasures are buried in it. If someone counts correctly, remove the cap and add or take out some trinkets, then reseal the bottle.
Picture Blends
Reading/Phonics Label several envelopes each with a specific consonant blend. Challenge the children to search magazines and newspapers to find pictures of items for each envelope. Later the envelopes full of pictures can be used for vocabulary or spelling. They can also be mixed together for reclassification activities.
Handy Holders
Art Step 1: Trace handprints onto cardstock or craft foam and cut them out.

Step 2: Punch holes around the base of each handprint, from thumb tip to base of little finger. Make sure the holes line up.

Step 3: Using yarn or ribbon, lace the two hands together to make a pocket. Bring the remaining yarn over and tie off at the beginning to form a hanger.

Our Flag
Reading/Art Before Memorial Day, read the book I Pledge Allegiance by Bill Martin, Jr. (Candlewick, 2002). Each page illustrates a phrase from our pledge and explains what it means. Provide red, white and blue paper so each child can make a flag like the one at the beginning and ending of the book.
Hidden Word Game
Reading/Listening Skills One student leaves the room while remaining students select a word. When the student returns, he or she can question the others and they must answer using the chosen word in the answer. For example, if the chosen word is "teacher," and the child asks, "Is the word something in this room?" a student may respond, "Desks, students, pens and the teacher are all things in this room." When the student guesses the word, he or she chooses the next player to leave the room. If the word isn't guessed after questioning the other children, the student must leave again and a new word is chosen.
The Power of One
Poetry/Math Enjoy the following poem together, then use it as a springboard to work on counting and/or estimating practice.

One

by Martin Shaw

Now, one is less than many things,
It's less than two or three.
It's less than ten or thirty-five,
And, not too hard to see.

One, of just about anything's
A number very small,
Yet, having only one of it,
Is more than none at all.

Summer Sun Catchers
Art Bend a chenille stem into a desired shape (circle, diamond, star, etc.) then glue the ends together. Coat the back of the shape with white glue, then carefully press the shape onto a piece of colored tissue paper. Let this dry completely before trimming the excess paper. Attach a hanger and hang in a sunny window.

Parents Activity
Writing Give your child an envelope of family photos and a blank photo album. Have your child tell you what is happening in each photo. Invite your child to write some of the sentences and challenge him or her to try to vary the structure of the sentences.
Portable Number Lines
Math Give each student a piece of ribbon 1/2" wide and 12" long. With a ruler and a pen, each student marks the ribbon in such a way as to make a number line. Students can make number lines of whatever numbers they choose, or the whole class may make the same span of numbers, such as 50-70. Use the completed number lines to play a "rounding" game.
Handprint Sun
Art Step 1: Cut a 6" diameter circle from yellow construction paper.

Step 2: Trace and cut out six hand prints from yellow or orange construction paper. Glue the palm part of the hands overlapping each to the back of the circle. The fingers will look like rays.

Step 3: Draw a smiley face on the sun and hang it in a window or give it to an elderly person who is unable to get out much.

Life's literacy Lessons

by Steven L. Layne

There's Something

There's something in their eyes

There's something in their hearts

There's something in their souls

That longs to hear a story

There's something in their eyes,
That sparkles like a gem;
Each time I tell them of a book I'd like to read to them.

There's something in their hearts,
A yearning deep within;
They're hoping I will take them to a place they've never been.
There's something in their souls
Which craves the chance to meet;
The characters who seem to somehow make their lives complete.

There's something in their eyes

There's something in their hearts

There's something in their souls

That longs to hear a story.

Layne, Steven L. (2001). Life's Literacy Lessons: Poems for Teachers. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Reprinted with permission of the International Reading Association.

Cover It Again
Reading/Art Read together some picture books and discuss how the covers often portray the books' plots, characters or main ideas. Remove the cover from a picture book before reading it to the class. Read the book aloud and give each student drawing paper on which to design a cover for the story. Encourage them to illustrate plot, characters and main idea. Compare the students' covers to the book's real cover.
Parents Activity
Science Introduce your child to the book Far-Out Science Projects With Height and Depth by Robert Gardner (Enslow, 2003). It provides well-written science projects laid out in step-by-step format and it includes materials lists as well as follow-up ideas for successful science fair projects. A glossary, index and list of Internet addresses complete this activity book that you can explore at home with your children.

Intermediate Grades

Slow, But Special
Science World Turtle Day has been established on May 23 around the world to protect turtles and tortoises as well as their habitats. Students can research these animals locally, through online zoos or at www.tortoise.com. They can make dioramas of these animals' habitats or art projects showing the designs of their shells.
Caring For the Creatures
Science/Art/Writing During Be Kind To Animals Week, May 4-10, the American Humane Association sponsors a contest for kids. Details can be obtained at www.americanhumane.org. It would also be a good time to interview someone from your local humane society. Find out what kind of services they provide and what kind of help they may need. Send students out to interview or invite someone to come in. Make posters and write letters to local newspapers explaining the society.

Flower Wash Pictures
Art Wet the entire surface of a piece of paper with a sponge. Sprinkle very small amounts of different- colored dry tempera paint or splatter watercolors on the wet surface. Tilt the piece of paper in different directions so the paint blends over the entire background. Use black crayons or heavy black markers to draw a silhouette picture over the background. Or cut flower shapes from the color-blended paper and glue them onto a dark background paper. Cut stems and leaves to complete the picture.
Saving Angels
Reading/Phys. Ed. In preparation for Memorial Day, read together the picture book, Lisette's Angel by Amy Littlesugar (Dial, 2002). The story beautifully portrays what paratroopers look like in the night sky. Discuss why paratroopers are used in war and also why forest fire fighters use them. Call a local airport and ask if there are parachuters who would come and talk to your class. Ask your gym teacher if there is a physical education parachute in your district that the children could work with.
Measurement Madness
Math/Computer Skills Take your math students to the following site for practicing measurement techniques at their own pace: csserver.evansville.edu.
Far From Home
Reading/Writing/History Read aloud (or use in literature groups) the book, Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff (Yearling, 1999). Talk about what effect it had on Lily to have her father away at war. Discuss what life is like for students who have family members serving in the military. After completing the book, have students write to military personnel serving far from home.
Wants or Needs?
Social Studies/Consumer Awareness Have each student bring in one sale flyer from a newspaper. Categorize items listed as satisfying wants or needs. Find out the percentages of each kind of object and graph the differences.
Picture Me in Writing
Penmanship Display your students' photographs on a bulletin board along with samples of their handwriting that read: Just like this dazzling photograph, the quality of my handwriting becomes a picture, for others to view, of exactly who I am. This sentence is called a pangram because it contains every letter of the alphabet. Students will have an opportunity to practice forming each letter neatly.
Building a Better Student
Study skills As a class, write a set of instructions that could help make one a better student. Share and discuss the whys and hows with the class. Create together a "Building A Better Student" bulletin board to display the instructions and invite the class to add illustrations.
Night's Lights
Poetry/Science Read the following poem together and discuss what effect there would be on us if there were no stars. May 7 is Astronomy Day, so the poem could be read then and students could make drawings of the night sky using black construction paper and white chalk.

The Stars

by Martin Shaw

Like tiny diamond chips they shine,
Suspended in the sky,
Forever forming sparkling shapes,
Beyond the clouds so high.

But, if they were not there to view,
How lonely nights would be,
The sky would seem so empty, then,
No twinkling stars to see.

My Report
Reading/Research While teaching students how to undertake basic research, introduce them to a book from the series, MyReportLinks.com. These books, such as The Gray Wolf by Chris Reiter (Enslow, 2003), show students how to conduct online research by following links and narrowing their search. The pages in the book mirror the online screen and offer websites for reference. It's a great way to get students started.
One Ant's Adventure
Writing If possible, do this activity during or after observing an ant in your classroom. Have students write a paragraph about an ant crossing the classroom floor. Expect the ant's perspective but ask for lots of adventure. Add illustrations of the ant, its path or any part of the adventure to display while reading the story aloud to the class.
See the Sound?
Music/Science Glue a ping-pong ball to the end of a piece of fishing line. Suspend the ball from a still object like a pencil. Let it hang straight down. Play a musical triangle next to it. The ping-pong ball will vibrate as it is struck by the sound waves. Try other instruments to see when else sound waves can be "seen."
Seeking Summer
Poetry Read the following poem together and then have students write poems about what summer represents to each of them.

Summer

by Martin Shaw

Blankets marking cozy spots.
Laughter in the air,
Castles made from sparkling sand,
Sprouting everywhere,

Children dashing through the waves,
Ice cream vendors shout,
Seagulls soaring overhead,
That's what summer's 'bout.

Lovely Luggage
Art Use brown kraft paper or even a large brown supermarket bag cut and folded over. The student cuts a suitcase or travel bag shape on folded paper and staples around the edge of the shape, just leaving a hole at the top. Fill the bag with stuffing of foam or crumpled newspaper, then insert a cardboard handle on top and staple the bag shut. Students put their name tags on the handle and decorate the bags with paint. When dry, oval travel stickers can be made and glued on to represent places the students have been, hope to go to or even places they've studied about in social studies over the past year.

Set Sail For Summer
Art Step 1: On a piece of cardboard about 9" x 12" draw an equilateral triangle, seven inches per side. At every 1/2-inch interval, punch holes.

Step 2: Make a boat hull of corrugated paper, fabric or brown paper scored to look like a wooden boat's hull.

Step 3: Paint the background appropriately, use a little piece of wood for the mast, even add some golden fish.

Middle Grades

Sticky Poems
Poetry/Nutrition Read the poem about this nutritious and easy-to-make snack, then make the snack and eat it slowly.

Sticky-Licky Snack

by Heidi Roemer

When you have a munch-attack,
Make this Sticky-Licky Snack:

Peel banana; it's fun to do.
Slice banana lengthwise through.

Spread the sticky peanut butter
(low-fat, creamy, or with nutters)

on banana. Top with five
small marshmallows. Sakes alive!

There's one sticky little trick –
It's impossible to eat it quick!

Reflecting On Who We Are
Art/Penmanship On the folded edge of a 9" x 12" piece of construction paper, have students neatly write their names. Then have them carefully paint over their writing with paint on thin paintbrushes. Finally, fold the papers in half, with the wet paint on the insides; then carefully open them. A symmetrical picture has been created. What other symmetrical things can students find around the classroom or around their homes?
Informed Choices
Writing/Character Ed. Students make decisions every day that they are often unaware of making. Empower them to continue making good decisions by having them write about the good choices that they have already made. Provide them with topics or allow them to begin with their own. For example: Why did I do homework last night? What did I choose to eat for lunch?
House for Sale
Reading/Writing/Art Cut out "house for sale" ads from the real estate section of the newspaper. Have students draw a picture of the house as described. Students can draw the house to scale. Write a creative story about the people who may be buying or selling the house. If possible, contact a real estate agent to obtain photographs of the houses that your students have drawn to use as a comparison.
Unwelcome Guests
Poetry/Science Read the following poems and discuss how well the animals are represented.

Vulture

by Heidi Roemer

His conscience is not prickable,
His manners are despicable,
His presence makes the other guests upset.

His actions are predictable,
In court, they'd be convictable –
At gorging rotten meat he's quite adept.

Have students each write a poem about an animal that you have been studying. Representing both the animal's characteristics and how well he or she would or would not fit into our society.
Flip-Flopping Sentences
Writing Write sentences on strips of paper and distribute them among students. Use basic subject and predicate sentences. Ex: Presidents have many responsibilities, or I always have fun at my grandmother's house. Then challenge students to create different sentence structures by beginning with the end of the sentence first and try to express the same thoughts differently.
Let's Put An End To It!
Writing Have students write narrative stories about a favorite vacation, holiday or event. After the final draft of the story has been completed with the beginning, middle and end, have the students write only the beginning and middle onto paper. Display those papers on a bulletin board entitled "The End." Allow students to go to the bulletin board throughout the day to select a story. They will then write a new ending. Later compare the real ending with the newly created ones.
Prepositional Pictures
Grammar Ask the class to close their eyes and envision themselves in their favorite place. Then have each use a list of prepositional phrases to describe that place. Have them illustrate that description.

Ex.: On the grassy hill...
Behind the one-room schoolhouse...
Near my grandmother's farm...
Beneath an old oak tree...
Is where I like reading my new book!
Ready, Set, Write!
Writing On slips of paper, write plot words such as robbery, hurricane, contest, etc. Pass around the basket of slips and ask each student to choose one, then challenge students to write stories that all include a setting and characters you have chosen, but incorporating the plot event they chose.
Literary Book Jackets
Reading/Writing/Technology After a class discussion of the books the students have read as a class this year, choose two books that share some themes.

Students write summaries of both books, then generate a list of themes that are common to both books. The example shown below compares Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. The list of common themes includes "slavery," "young, strong heroes," "journey/odyssey," "abuse," "family strife" and "transformation."

Students will fold a large piece of cardstock or construction paper to make a book jacket that has front and back flaps off the covers. They can illustrate the front cover with a design representing one of the books, and write their summary of that book on the front flap. Have them do the same for the other book on the back cover and back flap. When the book jacket is opened up, students can write their list of shared themes inside. As a follow-up assignment, you may want to assign a critical essay in which students explore the common themes in both books.

Parents Activity
Computer Skills/Geography Involve your child in planning this summer's family vacation. Supervise your child as he or she does an Internet search for information about your destination. Help your child to write letters or e-mails requesting information. Compare prices on various forms of transportation and several different hotels and do some estimated cost analysis together. In addition to giving your child practice in valuable life skills, planning together can make playing together more fun.
Measure While You Ride
Math/Phys. Ed. Have students measure the circumference of their bicycle tires. Then figure out how many revolutions are necessary to cover a distance of 1/2 mile or 1 mile. Next, have students research to find out how odometers work.
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Music/Auditory discrimination Have students write the names of various orchestra instruments on individual index cards. Play a selection of orchestral music and have the students hold up the appropriate card when specific instruments are playing. Ask someone to bring in a keyboard that has a synthesizer. Discuss part-to-whole relationships as a simple tune is played and then added to with many rhythms and instruments joining in one by one.
Learning From the Pros
Writing Have each student bring in his or her favorite magazines. Ask each student to select a story or article to study, and have them use a colored marker to highlight what you're currently studying in writing class. Look for strong beginnings, compound predicates, cause and effect, examples of dialogue or descriptive settings.

THIS MONTH'S CONTRIBUTIONS:
Sherry Timberman, Sanford, ME, #2, #6, #8, #10, #15, #26, #29; Helen Wubbenhorst, Mesa, AZ, #20; Sue Lorey, Arlington Heights, IL, #25, #35, #39, #40, #41; Joan Macey, Binghamton, NY, #32, #33; Richard Latta, Plainfield, IL, #45.

POETRY: "Stripes," "One," "The Stars," "Summer" by Martin Shaw, Bronxville, NY; "Summer Fun" by Jacqueline Schiff, Moline, IL; "Sticky-Licky Snack," "Vulture" by Heidi Roemer, Orland Park, IL.

Illustrations by H. Robert Loomis.

30+ Days of Activities

47 Activities for May, by Elizabeth Swartz

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